MLB.com's Carrie Muskat has been covering Major League Baseball since 1981 and is the author of "Banks to Sandberg to Grace: Five Decades of Love and Frustration with the Cubs." You can follow her on Twitter @CarrieMuskat. Here, she blogs about the Cubs.

6/27 Cubs 7, Nationals 2

* Jason Hammel picked up his first win in June on Friday as the Cubs beat the Nationals, 7-2. Hammel scattered five hits over 6 1/3 innings, and is now 7-0 with a 3.12 ERA in nine career starts against the Nats. He’s thrived at Wrigley Field, posting a 4-1 record and 2.35 ERA in seven outings.

* John Baker went 3-for-3 with four RBIs, hitting a three-run double in the seventh. He tied career highs with his hits and RBI totals.

“The main focus for me and for us is to win the game,” Baker said. “When you get a couple extra hits, it’s like the cherry on top of the sundae.”

* Anthony Rizzo went 1-for-5, and now is batting .321 in 20 games against NL East teams. The Cubs may want to switch divisions. With the win, they now are 12-8 against National League East teams. Chicago is 15-24 vs. NL Central foes.

* Ryan Sweeney snapped a 2-2 tie with a two-run single in the fourth. It’s his first multi RBI game since June 23, 2013, vs. the Astros.

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